Chapter Two, The Clear Half Moon (Three)

In the cold moonlight, Bian Dao said, "Uncle... Brother, besides porcelain, what other businesses do you engage in?"

Not being watched by Xiao Yunde for a while, one would not realize how pleasant it is to be looked at by Jing Yi

Leng Yue cupped her hands in a gesture of respect towards Xiao Yunde and said, "Cousin, you are truly fortunate"

Leng Yue has always believed that no matter how unattractive a person may be, they will always look better when they smile than when they do not. However, Xiao Yunde is truly an exception; he looks fine when he is not smiling, but once he smiles, it becomes unbearable to look at him.

Xiao Yunde weakly waved his fan and said, "The furnace... the porcelain kiln is right behind, take as much as you want, consider it a gift for Captain Leng as a token of our first meeting"

Xiao Yunde's words are not nonsense. Although the products from his kiln are average, it does not prevent his father, the Prince of Yu, from having many relatives, friends, and colleagues. The items produced in the kiln each day can still be delivered.

Xiao Yunde's smile froze, while Jing Yi's eyes sparkled with laughter, but he quickly corrected himself, saying, "Cousin, it is my cousin... Boss Xiao just looks a bit older in terms of seniority."

Xiao Yunde's face was completely dark, and his mood was extremely complicated; however, no complexity could compare to the gaze that Leng Yue directed at him.

Jingyi

Xiao Yunde's face turned dark as he choked, and he stopped waving his fan. "Do you know who I am?"

What you say, madam, is indeed correct

When Xiao Yunde brought Lengyue into the side hall, Jingyi was sitting in the main seat, holding a plate and cracking sunflower seeds noisily, making a racket like a mouse. A glance at him made it seem rather incongruous with the solemn deep red official robe he was wearing.

In the cold moonlight, Lingyue faintly heard Xiao Yunde bite down, producing a creaking sound.

Lengyue glanced at the person standing beside Jingji. Anyone capable of provoking Jingji to such a state must be an extraordinary individual of significance.

What business do you two actually want to discuss with me

While Jingyi was quietly pondering how to convey this message to the old gentleman for the best effect, Lengyue also asked nonchalantly, "Did this old kiln worker just arrive yesterday?"

He glanced at the cold moon and said, "Such a good box, what can't be packed in it when taken home"

Cold Moon wore a clear and unmistakable look of displeasure, "What we want is something fresh, straight out of the oven, still bubbling with steam; otherwise, why would we go all the way to the porcelain kiln?"

If that woman in his family had even half of this feeling

I do not know

Xiao Yunde felt that the songstress from the capital's premier brothel "Nest of Sparrows" was right; whether one believes it or not, it is still advisable to consult the almanac every morning upon waking.

Jing Ji's complexion was not very good, pale with a hint of darkness. The moment one laid eyes on her, the pale areas appeared even whiter, while the dark areas seemed even darker, which was indeed contrary to her usual demeanor of keeping her emotions hidden.

Xiao Yunde's eyes bear some resemblance to Jing Yi's, but when they squint, they appear less alike. Leng Yue is quite certain that when Jing Yi squints, the corners of his eyes do not have nearly as many folds as those of small soup dumplings.

Then why do you still ask us what business we are discussing

Yesterday ... ... the day before yesterday ... ... on the day you got married, that noon he came here carrying his own bundle, saying that his grandson had urgent matters to attend to back home for a few days, and he volunteered to come here to work.

Xiao Yunde was taken aback for a moment, then immediately burst into laughter

Jing Yi's presence beside her in this manner inexplicably had a calming and soothing effect

Jingyi has arrived

Xiao Yunde would not tell them, but there is a fact he is aware of: the items in his porcelain kiln are truly not of good quality, to the extent that when his father arranged for them to be packed as gifts, he specifically instructed him to use the finest mahogany boxes for packing

It is quite embarrassing if you have to ask others who you are.

... ...

Xiao Yunde nodded with a smile, "Exactly."

Then what else can we buy if we do not purchase porcelain

Xiao Yunde seemed to recall something, lightly tapping the fan's ribs twice in the palm of his hand, his narrow eyes nearly squinting into slits

Jing Jia is unclear about how much wealth he possesses, but he is very aware that if this information reaches his father's ears, the following years for Xiao Yunde will become much more interesting and colorful

There has never been any notion of second-hand goods here; everything is freshly produced from the kiln in the past two days

Xiao Yunde snapped his fan shut and took a fresh look at the young woman in red before him, who was at most seventeen or eighteen years old. She had delicate eyebrows, phoenix-like eyes, snow-white skin, and red lips. Her figure was exquisite where it should be, and full where it needed to be, embodying the appearance of a beauty, yet exuding the spirit of an iron-willed hero.

The face remains the same, yet there is an indescribable discomfort in looking at it, making one wish to take a hot towel and smooth out the smile on his face in one go

Jing Yi's appearance was unexpected for her, and Leng Yue felt a bit frantic. However, she could not let Xiao Yunde see her distress, so she responded nonchalantly, "Then I shall trouble you to lead the way."

Leng Yue looked at Xiao Yunde, whose smile was slightly different from before, and politely said, "If I am not mistaken, this must be Boss Xiao Yunde."

... ...

"You are Jing Yi's ... ... " Leng Yue paused, glancing at Xiao Yunde's increasingly distinct smile at the corners of his eyes, "Cousin?"

Xiao Yunde walked ahead without hearing a word, so when he arrived at the place, he still had the mood to stop and turn back to Lengyue, saying, "Captain Leng arrived at just the right time. The batch that was filled in last night was personally crafted by my best master craftsman. If it weren't for his grandson suddenly taking leave, even if the Jing family brought out all their possessions, it would have been difficult to persuade him."

Jing Yi intentionally slowed down a few steps, creating a small distance from Xiao Yunde, and lowered his voice to ask Leng Yue, "Are there still... someone's box here?"

Can the box for the porcelain also be taken?

Seeing the two people walk in together, Jing Yi was momentarily taken aback. After a brief pause, she placed the plate of sunflower seeds back on the table, brushed off the crumbs from her clothes, stood up, and subtly moved closer to Leng Yue, using her body to separate Leng Yue from Xiao Yunde, whose gaze was constantly fixed on her. She slightly nodded at Leng Yue, smiling gently and asked, "Have you two met before?"

How could I not know that there are women working in the government office in the capital

The cold moon curled the corners of her mouth in agreement, saying, "No wonder people say that Boss Xiao has a good appearance."

Xiao Yunde's complex expression was smoothed by the cheerful "cousin," his eyes narrowed again, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, "We are family, so there is no need to be polite. If Captain Leng likes it, he can come and take it anytime."

You must be the newlywed wife of Jing Yi

Please

Jing Yi smiled politely, dressed in an official robe, yet exuding the charm of a cultured merchant. "Besides porcelain, what other items does this kiln produce, cousin?"

Then why are you asking him what he needs the box for

Xiao Yunde's Adam's apple moved slightly as he swallowed.

Xiao Yunde was momentarily unable to determine whether it was a heat-induced illusion, but he felt that the frost-faced beauty, from the moment he stood beside Jing Yi, inexplicably radiated warmth, a warmth that seemed to emanate from within, making one feel a stirring in their heart

I know, "Xiao Yunde, with that rather uncomfortable smile, raised his fan and pointed in the direction where Jing Yi had left, 'Jing Yi drove away his third brother for this business deal, yet insisted on waiting for you to arrive before he would agree to discuss it. I am truly curious about what kind of business you all intend to talk about.'"

What if it turns out to be correct

When Leng Yue withdrew her gaze from Jing Ji's back, Xiao Yunde had already unfolded the folding fan he held in his hand, revealing a fan face adorned with flowers and birds. He gently waved it in front of his chest with a force that barely stirred the air, while looking at Leng Yue with a gaze akin to that of someone admiring porcelain, smiling as he scanned her from head to toe and then from toe to head.

Jing Ji looked deeply at Leng Yue, lightly nodded, and replied in a manner that was both polite and distant, "Good morning, Captain Leng." After finishing her words, she hurriedly turned to Xiao Yunde and said, "We shall discuss this another day," and then walked away on her own.

... ...

It is evident that Jing Yi not only arrived but also came earlier than her, and not only did he arrive earlier, but he also anticipated her excuse for inspecting the porcelain kiln.

The cold moon also moved half a step closer to Jingyi.

"It is, but it is not." Leng Yue raised her slightly pointed chin, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously lifted a little, as if she were speaking of something immensely proud, "I am his wife, but I am not newly married; we have been married for two days already."

Xiao Yunde held his breath, nearly crushing the fan in his hand

Jing was dressed in official attire, standing neatly. After Leng Yue dismounted, he stood still, clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, and performed an official salute, solemnly saying, "Good morning, Lord Jing"

The cold moon was also watching him, looking at him with an expression akin to that of examining a corpse. While observing him, she replied nonchalantly, "It’s alright, the capital is so vast, it’s not shameful to have not seen much of the world."

She said, apart from Jingyi, who else could provoke Jingji to such a state

She has hundreds of clues indicating that the person before her is Xiao Yunde, but since Xiao Yunde did not introduce himself, she will treat it as if she does not know.

When Xiao Yunde spoke these words, there was a hint of smugness in his expression that made Jing Yi feel somewhat displeased. Thus, Jing Yi smiled faintly and said, "Speaking of marriage, it has been four months since cousin and cousin-in-law got married, right? Before I came over, I first went to the residence of the Prince of Yu to pay my respects. I heard from the Princess of Yu that cousin-in-law is already six months pregnant. Congratulations!"

He is not familiar with Jing Yi, but he has heard in the marketplace that among the four brothers of the Jing family, Jing Yi is the most particular about clothing and daily necessities. He can even pick out flaws in the porcelain from famous kilns in Jiangnan that are presented to the palace. Is he coming here to buy porcelain?

Xiao Yunde stood silently in place, squeezing the ribs of his fan, and squeezed out a sentence from between his teeth, "I just remembered there are some matters I haven't attended to... you may proceed as you wish"

Xiao Yunde took a deep breath to calm the anger that had nearly choked him, looked at the two people who were smiling in a way that resembled a married couple, twitched his stiff lips, and then said, "Are you looking to buy porcelain?"

The cold moon lightly furrows her brow, "We do not want second-hand goods"

Having said that, Xiao Yunde disappeared from the sight of the two in a few quick steps

Most of the time, Jing Yi is a person who thrives on chaos and disorder

Leng Yue firmly replied, "No," and Xiao Yunde was taken aback, "Aren't you his wife?"

Jing Yi raised her eyebrows slightly, remaining silent

Xiao Yunde's expression was somewhat complicated, as Leng Yue's words made him vaguely feel like he was being treated as a mere pawn. He was increasingly reluctant to discuss any business matters with these two individuals

After Xiao Yunde had laughed enough, he stepped aside and assumed a welcoming posture at the entrance of the courtyard, saying, "Captain Leng, please come in."

The cold moon cast a faint blush on her cheeks; if one were to ignore the tiger-striped sword sheathed at her waist, her smile would resemble that of a bride-to-be. "Then I must thank you, cousin!"

Xiao Yunde was momentarily taken aback before replying, "No, there are no other businesses."

Xiao Yunde frowned slightly and said, "There is nothing else, only porcelain"

The cold moon slightly narrowed her phoenix eyes, taking half a step closer to Jing Yi, and spoke each word clearly, "So how did you know that?"

The cold moon firmly stated, "I am."

Leng Yue always felt that something was amiss. She turned her head to look at Jing Yi, who had a face full of contentment, and thought, "Why do I feel like he doesn't even know that his wife is pregnant?"

Then you all..." Xiao Yunde pondered with all the wisdom he had accumulated over half his life before saying, "Go to the storeroom and pick it yourself.

The cold moon is somewhat hazy, and Jing Qi has come dressed in official attire. How is it that he has also come in official attire?

After Xiao Yunde stiffly nodded his head, he silently led the two individuals to the back of the porcelain kiln

It is said that most families who received the porcelain he sent ended up throwing away the porcelain and keeping the boxes

The cold moon leaned beside Jing Yi, smiling brightly like a flame.

Jing Yi shrugged happily, "He just doesn't know."

... ...

How is Jing Yi so indifferent as if he hasn't seen anything at all

Xiao Yunde felt that the sun was particularly scorching at noon today; after standing outside for just a short while, he became so dizzy that he couldn't even understand the words of a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl, "Are you or are you not...?"

Leng Yue stood still and said, "I have come to discuss a business deal with Boss Xiao."